It was reported yesterday that Meryl Streep will not be contending for Best Actress Oscar this year. Instead, her performance in August: Osage County will be submitted in the supporting category which means that she and Julia Roberts won’t be going head to head against each other but that she will be going head to head on Oprah Winfrey for her role in The Butler. Amazing, right?

Meryl stepping down from the Best Actress race leaves Julia in the game with Cate Blanchett, whose extraordinary – as usual – work in Blue Jasmine is being considered a lock, if you can call anything a lock in August. And then there’s Nicole Kidman. We’ve seen trailers from so many of the major players this award season…

We’re still waiting on a trailer for Grace Of Monaco.

As you know, Nicole already has a Best Actress Oscar for The Hours. Cate has one too, but hers is Supporting. The big prize is the one you get for the lead. Sandra Bullock has a lead Oscar. Marion Cotillard has a lead Oscar. Kate Winslet has a lead Oscar. Even Reese Witherspoon has a lead Oscar.

So…

Did Meryl open the way for Cate, finally, or will it be Nicole or one of the others? And what will Julia Roberts have to say about that?